


Nightmare

by FanaticFangirl2602



Category: Miraculous Ladybug, Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Adult Jim Lake Jr, Adult Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, I like hurting Jim emotionally, Jim isn't a troll bc no, Sleepy Cuddles, Sorry Not Sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-11
Updated: 2019-01-11
Packaged: 2019-10-07 23:18:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17375078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanaticFangirl2602/pseuds/FanaticFangirl2602
Summary: “Nightmare?” Marinette breaks the silence, her voice a gentle whisper. He nods mutely and Marinette hums softly. “Which one?”He sighs and looks down at the cup in his hands. “Darklands,” he murmurs.





	Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

  * For [petitFantome](https://archiveofourown.org/users/petitFantome/gifts).



> The main reason I write Jim/Marinette fanfic is because I love Alex. She wanted any kind of Jim/Marinette fanfic, no matter the genre, and I provided. Enjoy!

Another nightmare. They both have them. Tonight, it‘s Jim who wakes up with his heart racing, a cry on the tip of his tongue. He swallows it back at the last second, instinct kicking in. (Be quiet, be quiet,  _they’ll find you-_ ) Instead of a scream, his ragged breathing is what fills the otherwise quiet room.

The nightmare lingers. The dark images flash before his eyes, replacing the bedroom ceiling with sinister monsters. He won’t be able to fall back to sleep, he knows. Not before he has to get up in the morning.

Quietly, he slips out of bed and exits the room, footsteps light and silent. (Be quiet,  _be quiet_ -) He doesn’t know where he’s going, doesn’t think about it. He lets his feet guide him while he tries to get his breathing to slow and his heart to stop racing.

He ends up in the kitchen. It’s not surprising. No matter what house, what place he’s in, the kitchen always brings a soft sense of comfort. (Safe, he’s safe, he’s not  _THERE_ -)

Inhale through his nose, exhale though his mouth. Jim focuses on calming his senses as he grabs a glass and fills it with water. Drink acquired, he leans forward against the counter and rests his arms atop the smooth wood. Through the window before him, he sees the crescent moon shining bright, the stars twinkling alongside it. The moonlight is reassuring, and it helps soothe the adrenaline racing through his veins.

He’s not sure how long he’s there, watching the night sky. He’s there long enough to empty his cup and refill it, even though he knows he won’t drink more. It’s just something to hold. Something to ground him. (He’s safe, he’s fine, he’s  _home_ -)

He’s not sure how much time passes before he feels another presence enter the room. He tenses, just for a second, before a quick look over his shoulder tells him there’s nothing to be afraid of and he relaxes. If his partner notices his behavior, she doesn’t say, merely joining him at the counter.

Together, they look out the window and watch the world sleep. Slowly, his breathing evens out and his heart slows to a normal pace. It’s enough to calm him in the moment, but the demons linger, reminding him what hides in the shadows, of the scars littering his body. (He blinks and they’re there, _pouncing_ -)

“Nightmare?” Marinette breaks the silence, her voice a gentle whisper. He nods mutely and Marinette hums softly. “Which one?”

He sighs and looks down at the cup in his hands. “Darklands,” he murmurs, just loud enough for her to hear. (A gravelly voice fills his head and laughs. He’s cornered, caught, _he can’t escape_ -)

She rests her head against his shoulder. Most people would assume it’s because she’s tired after waking up in the middle of the night to find her fiancé missing from bed, but Jim knows what she’s doing. Physical touch has always been more comforting to him than words.

A few minutes pass and they watch the first car of the early morning go by. Jim vaguely wonders where they’re going. The airport? A night shift? Maybe they’re meeting family...

His thoughts drift into nothing. For once, his mind his quiet. There are no words, no monsters, no what ifs...

Jim doesn’t realized it’s happened until a dog barks and he jumps, ripped out of the nothing and thrown back into shadows. He groans and runs a hand tiredly over his face. It’s just someone’s dog, probably barking at a skunk or something. Nothing that should startle him.

But it did. And he hates it.

“Hey.” Marinette’s soft voice draws him out of his head before the spiral can even begin. Her head leaves his shoulder, and a hand rises up to rest on his back. “It’s okay to be scared.”

Jim sighs. “I... I know. I just...” He trails off for a moment. His shoulders slump. “I wish I wasn’t,” he whispers, closing his eyes. (Mistake, mistake. A roar fills his ears, and his soul  _burns_ -)

“Don’t we all,” Marinette chuckles, and there’s a hint of wistfulness. It’s not demeaning or insulting. No, she never is.

Her hand moves behind his shoulder and down his arm, leaving behind a trail of warmth one can only feel in their heart. She gently takes the glass of water he won’t finish and puts it aside before grasping him hand. “Come on,” she whispers, and he can hear her smile.

He doesn’t say anything, just nods, and lets her guide him back through the apartment, back to their room. She lets go of him to throw the blankets back and situates herself on the bed. Bluebell eyes look up at him and her hand pats the empty spaces next to her.

He hesitates, wary of sleep and the nightmares that follow. Marinette doesn’t say anything, just waits. She lets him think, lets him decide for himself whether he wants to join her again. She won't push him. They never push each other. Instead, she patiently watches him with kind eyes.

After a moment, he joins his fiancée. Jim climbs into their bed and lays down next to her. He’s covered by warm blankets a moment later and slim, strong arms wrap around him. He relaxes into the embrace immediately and nestles his head against her neck.

A hand runs through his hair, fingertips gently tracing his scalp. The quiet sound of her breathing fills his ear. No words are spoken. None have to be.

Before sleep can return to claim him, he looks up at her. Her hair is a mess. All make up from the previous day is gone. She's beautiful. From behind dark eyelashes, Marinette watches him. looks after him. When she catches him gazing at her, her pink lips turn up in a fond smile.

Jim smiles back at her.

How powerful she is, being able to chase away the nightmares hovering at the edge of his mind with a single look.

Later, just as his eyes have finally fluttered shut and he’s on the brink of sleep, he feels a soft kiss pressed to his head. “Sleep well, my knight. I’ll be here,” a voice whispers, just barely able to be heard.

The nightmares don't return.

**Author's Note:**

> Like Jim/Marinette? Please feel free to drop by my tumblr or instagram where I'm fanaticfangirl2602, and we can scream together! And if you're interested, I can invite you to a Jiminette Discord server through pm!


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